After getting tired of my key acting up, I thought why not make it start by first turning a key placed in a place of my choosing, this turns on the system and what not, and then mounting a button to crank over the engine. What are your thoughts on this, how would you do it?

 

I did this years ago on an older truck. My issue was the column was messed up, and the key would not turn over to start, just to the run position. I just installed a momentary push button switch, that jumped the starter relay terminals, once truck is running just released the switch. It was a temporary fix til the column go fixed. Did not have any problems with it, but, kind of a tacky way to run. Can your key/column be fixed?

 

I really miss not having it. I'm looking to see if I can retrofit it to my 2016 F-350. I have it on my 2018 Nissan Armada, had it on my 2016 Nissan Titan XD as well.

 

Well basically my key broke inside of it, and the bearings are shot, i'd go down to the boneyard but since i'm in alaska the freights gonna kill me, so for right now I just need to find a way to get it started until I get more funds.

 

I just did this very thing to my '88 F-150 earlier this winter. I couldn't bypass my clutch safety switch or else something else was messed up in my steering column.

I ran a 14 gauge wire from the large terminal on the fender mounted solenoid, the terminal that has the positive battery cable hooked to it, to a momentary toggle switch I mounted under the dash. I ran another 14 gauge wire from the other side of that toggle switch back to the small terminal on the solenoid that had the slip on wire on it. I put a fuse holder in the wire coming off the large battery cable.

The firewall seemed so tight, inside and out, that I ran the wires along the inside of the fender and through the door opening. Not that great but the fuse will protect it and I can jump the solenoid from under the hood if I have something metal to do it with.

 

A friend and I did a pushbutton start in an old Yota once just to get it going again. The proper switch was expensive, I already had the pushbutton, and the car was to the point where we didn't mind hacking it up. We just wired the button to a relay, and the relay straight to the starter motor (that wire would go to the external solenoid on one of these). This worked like normal, but defeated the shifter interlock, which led to my friend accidentally starting it in gear and running it into the back wall of the garage.

If you just need to get it started for a while before you can fix it properly, put the key in the run position, make sure it's not in gear, open the hood, take a screwdriver, and jump between the + post and the trigger post on the solenoid to run the starter. If that doesn't do it, go between the + post and the starter post (the two big ones) to bypass the solenoid.

If you really want a pushbutton start like you'd get in a newer car, I've seen kits online with the RFID key and all that. Seems like a great way to make the electrical system harder to troubleshoot in the future.

 

Should be simple enough. The wiring is in the bottom of the column along with the switch. Remove the cover around the column. Just trace the starter wires and install a button. You can also add a toggle switch for ignition.

 

I'm in your exact same boat, my 90 doesn't get volts at the start wire coming from ignition over to S post on starter solenoid. So, I have a pushbutton laying on top of radiator for now, cranking that way. Exactly like yourself, I didn't find a clever way to run into cab, and didn't want to drill. Haven't decided what I want to do, did have my wire running through pass door frame, but it looks terrible. So, pulled that back out. Really don't want to drill anywhere, but no vacant holes I can use available.
So, I did lay in floorpan looking up at my elec ign switch and do think I see correct wire coming out of it now, but haven't probed it yet. As I recall, I think "mine", as they probably change year by year, was red wire with a thin light blue stripe.

 

You can probably fix what you got rather easily rather than go through the trouble to install a key switch + starter switch. But if you really wanna make it pushbutton start, be advised there are multiple RUN circuits on the factory ignition switch. The few aftermarket key switches I've seen only provide 1 RUN + 1 ACC so you'll have to figure out what to do from there. A multi-pole relay with appropriate ratings would work nicely.

 

Where are you at in Alaska, I am here too. I went to Hilltop Recyclers out in Chugiak and found a decent column for my truck.

Depending on what parts you need, you may be able to get them from my old column.

Give me a shout on here and we'll see if we can meet up.

 

I'm in Ketchikan, Which puts me in an awkward place to get parts

 

You are correct sir, it certainly does... But a very cool place to be, so I have heard.

Still willing to help on this end of things. I can check into the mail cost from Eagle River to Ketchikan.
When I am home, I am willing to pull, box and ship any small parts you need. My schedule is a bit goofy, but I am sure we could work something out.

 

Okay, in a bit i'll check and see what i'll need. May have to wait a little until I get funds to pay for it though
Is there a reason why you changed out the column?

 

10-4, no problem. I understand the funds issue.

The previous owner of the truck swapped out the original good column into one of his other trucks, but happen to not mention it at the time of the sale...

The cruise control and horn didn't work, well that was because he swapped in a non-cruise column, but put the original steering wheel back on it.
There was nothing to hook it all up with. While out looking for the required parts to convert it, I found a complete column and Hilltop sold it to me for a decent price.
So now I have a complete column for parts.

 

Yesterday I took out my old column, it was quite easy due to the fact that the PO had taken all of the covers out and broke the clock spring. Looking through it a large metal sleeve was banging around in between the upper and lower column. I cant find a way to separate the upper and lower column on a non tilt though. so from what i'm seeing id need the whole upper assembly to get the truck moving. This is the last thing that the PO messed with and when I'm done with it the PO's "fixes" have all been fixed.